Mabel is still the gentle and well-behaved orangutan that we have grown to love. Due to her small frame and gentle nature, Mabel struggled interacting with some of the more active larger infants at the Care Centre nursery. Therefore we moved her to another sleeping enclosure with just one orangutan of her own size, Hoffman. The change in Mabel since she moved has been remarkable! Now feeling secure with her best friend Hoffman by her side, Mabel is gaining more confidence and is coming out of her shell. She has become much more inquisitive and ventures out a bit less cautiously.
Hoffman acts like Mabel’s big sister. Both are very delicate and seemingly fragile. Yet Hoffman and Mabel are very affectionate with each other, often seen sharing food and enrichment. When other orangutans roughhouse with Mabel, Hoffman steps up to the plate and shoos them away! Mabel, although still almost painfully shy, has become much more confident by following Hoffman’s lead around the infant playground and forest. If Hoffman is foraging for certain leaves, Mabel will just be a few steps behind in foraging for her own leaves too, an activity she has come to love.
While Mabel loves to eat cassava leaves, “kalakai” leaves, and peanuts by the handful, she’s pickier about fruit. When she can choose, passionfruit is her favourite. Mabel and Hoffman’s most beloved team adventures include climbing to the canopy where passionfruit vines hang down. Then slowly, like artisanal farmers, Mabel and Hoffman choose the most perfectly ripe fruits for the plucking!
After a bellyful of passionfruit, Mabel often climbs into a high tree with much foliage to create a day nest. She then lies down in the nest and spends the rest of the day staring skywards. This young delicate philosopher seems to enjoy staring at the clouds, as well as the branches and leaves of the canopy, pondering life. Sometimes Hoffman joins her. With Mabel’s confidence growing, we hope that she will eventually take to the forest on her own and blaze her own trail with best friend Hoffman following.